These days, most marketing is focused on digital—SEO, websites, social media, paid search. But getting out into public and meeting people face to face still has value, even if the reach isn’t as great. One way to forge new connections is to sponsor and attend tradeshows. When done well, industry events and tradeshows are a great way to put your brand in front of potential customers while also having the opportunity to interact with them and build relationships.
Benefits of tradeshows
Attending tradeshows can be expensive and labor intensive, but they can also have many benefits for your business.
1. Meet potential business partners and collaborators.The nice thing about tradeshows is they draw in anyone affiliated with your industry, so you’ll have the opportunity to meet other businesses that might align with yours for mutual benefit.
2. Survey the competition. It never hurts to get a close look at what your competitors are doing and saying. Take some time to compare how your brand stands out from others, areas where you’re doing well, and areas where the competition is ahead and you need to catch up. (But remember, they can do the same to you!)
3. Learn more about your industry. It’s not just a chance to see and be seen, but a chance to learn about the latest trends in your field. You can also send new or junior members of your team so they can get an immersive look at your business compared to the industry as a whole.
4. Forge deeper connections with potential customers. Most marketing and advertising opportunities are impersonal—words on a screen or a jingle in the ear. Tradeshows give you the chance to have relaxed, personal conversations with clients that could lead to long-term relationships.
How to make the most of tradeshows and events
As with any marketing tactic, you need to have a strategy to see a return on your investment in time and money spent on tradeshows. Before attending, consider the following questions:
• What do you want to gain by going? Are you truly expecting to make important connections on the floor, or are you mostly interested in the email list of attendees after the show? Are you hoping to build brand awareness, forge new partnerships, or increase sales? Think through your goals for attending this event and make sure your booth, your materials, and your “spiel” tie together.
• Why will people want to stop by your booth? Are you displaying something novel or unique? Will they gain information or knowledge by speaking with your team? When your booth has a clear purpose, more people will be inclined to stop by, you will have more valuable conversations with them, and they will walk away feeling their time at your booth was worthwhile.
• How will you measure results and compare ROI to other marketing tactics? ? It can be difficult to measure how valuable a tradeshow was for your business. Your “cost per impression” may be far higher than another medium like digital or radio, but the interaction itself may be more valuable because it was more personal. Before you go, consider the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) you will use to measure the benefits of the event so you can decide next year if it’s worth attending.
Where and how to incorporate your brand
Once you’ve decided to attend a tradeshow and thought through how you’ll make it a successful event, you can start thinking about the visuals, or how you will display your brand to the best advantage.
The booth. This is the foundation of your space, the area you ‘own’ that you want people to notice from across the room and be drawn to like a moth to a flame.
• Consider a large-scale backdrop that’s bold and well-branded.
• Use a tent or tables covered in branded tablecloths to help define your space.
• Add standing banners or tabletop displays to create dimension and take advantage of open space.
• Incorporate LED lighting to catch people’s eyes and don’t forget a rug or other floor covering to help finish off the space.
Your team. Whether standing in front of your booth or strolling around the event space, your people can be walking, talking billboards for your brand, so make sure they look the part.
• Clearly display your company name and your team members’ names with nametags and branded lanyards.
• Give everyone logoed matching shirts for a unified look.
• If it’s appropriate to the event, baseball caps or sunglasses can add a finishing touch.
Your sponsorships. Make the most of getting your business name in front of all the tradeshow attendees by choosing the right promotional items that will leave an impression.
• Everyone needs a bag to carry around the event to hold all their brochures and swag, so give one they’ll be glad to keep long after the event.
• Whether a basic pen or one with a little flair, pens are a classic and useful ad for your business.
• Be sure to activate on any opportunities to have an ad in the event program or your logo on the website.
The giveaways. When someone stops by your booth, and especially if they’re a potential client or collaborator, it’s nice to offer them something to help them remember you at the end of the day.
• A sleek notebook is always a useful gift that can help keep your brand in view.
• For busy businesspeople, a wireless charger will always come in handy.
• If you want to offer a higher-end item to a select group of potential customers or partners, consider something that especially represents your brand, like a high-quality tumbler or popular wireless earbuds.
Putting your brand out there at tradeshows and industry events can be a great way for potential customers, collaborators, and even competitors to get a feel for who you are and make your business top-of-mind. Thinking through your goals for the event and ensuring a strong, well-branded presence can make tradeshows a successful part of your marketing toolkit.
